Troy Page #14

(CONTINUED)

75.

81 CONTINUED:
81

CLOSE ON SEVERAL FACES -- these are men we haven't seen

before and probably won't see again, not kings or heroes

but ordinary men preparing for battle.

One warrior prays with eyes closed, mumbling the words,

kneeling in the sand. A second man inspects each

arrowhead in his quiver. A third sits in the sand,

snapping seashells.

82 INT. ACHILLES' TENT - LATER - DAY 82

Achilles sits cross-legged, arms held straight out in

front of him, palms up. His bronze sword is balanced on

his palms.

Patroclus and Eudorus, armored for battle, enter the tent.

Achilles does not look away from his blade. Though the

sword must be heavy, his arms do not tremble.

EUDORUS:

My lord? The army is marching.

ACHILLES:

Let them march. We stay.

EUDORUS:

But the men -

Achilles turns to glare at him and Eudorus falters.

EUDORUS:

-- the men are ready.

ACHILLES:

Agamemnon spat on my honor

yesterday. I promised that girl

her safety and he stole her from

me. Let him fight the Trojans

today.

Eudorus and Patroclus exchange glances. Eudorus bows to

Achilles and exits the tent. Patroclus remains behind.

ACHILLES:

When I was very small I saw my

father kill a man with his bare

hands.

Patroclus doesn't know how to respond to this.

(CONTINUED)

76.

82 CONTINUED:
82

ACHILLES:

There's so much blood in a human

body.

Achilles flips the sword in the air and catches it by the

hilt. He examines the edge.

ACHILLES:

You're ready to fight, Patroclus?

PATROCLUS:

I am.

Achilles rests his sword on the ground. He stares at

Patroclus for a moment before speaking.

ACHILLES:

You're ready to kill?

Patroclus hesitates.

ACHILLES:

At night I see their faces. All

the men I've killed. I see them

standing on the far bank of the

River Styx.

(beat)

They're waiting for me.

Patroclus stands absolutely still. He's never heard his

cousin speak this way before.

ACHILLES:

Some nights I walk among them.

When I wake I can still hear their

words.

(beat)

They say, "Welcome, brother."

Achilles inspects the knuckles of his fist.

ACHILLES:

Never hate the men you fight. All

of us are mortals. All of us,

wretched things, tumbled crying

from our mother's loins.

(beat)

Only the gods are free from

sorrows.

PATROCLUS:

I hate no one, cousin.

(CONTINUED)

77.

82 CONTINUED:
(2) 82

ACHILLES:

Good.

(beat)

I taught you how to fight. But I

never taught you why to fight.

PATROCLUS:

I fight for you.

ACHILLES:

And who will you follow when I'm

gone?

Patroclus hesitates, unsure how to answer.

ACHILLES:

Most soldiers battle for kings

they've never met. They do what

they're told; they die when they're

told to die.

PATROCLUS:

Soldiers obey.

ACHILLES:

We don't have much time to walk in

the sun, Patroclus. After this

life comes the underworld, an

eternity telling stories to other

shades. Don't tell them you died

following some fool's orders.

PATROCLUS:

And what should I tell them?

ACHILLES:

Tell them your name. If your life

has been worthy, they'll know the

rest.

83 EXT. WALLS OF TROY - DAY 83

One thousand ARCHERS stand in various positions on the

broad city walls, quivers of arrows by their sides.

TROJAN CITIZENS also crowd atop the walls, quiet and

sober.

Priam sits in a grandstand beneath a blue canopy. Seated

by him are CITY LEADERS, including Velius and

Archeptolemus.

Helen stands apart from everyone else. No one is overtly

hostile to her, but behind her back people stare and

whisper.

78.

84 EXT. BATTLEFIELD - CONTINUOUS 84

Below the walls, on the broad field that stretches down

from the city gates, the TROJAN ARMY has amassed. In the

front, Hector and General Glaucus sit astride their

horses.

The soldiers are disciplined and well-outfitted, arranged

in tight formation.

Paris rides out to join Hector. Hector examines Paris's

face.

HECTOR:

Are you sure you want to do this?

PARIS:

I started this war.

Paris searches the faces atop the city wall. He finds

Helen.

CLOSE on Helen. The wind is blowing hard, ruffling her

cloak, her hair. There is love in her eyes, and fear and

exhaustion. Paris stares up at her for a long time before

turning away.

A low, ominous RUMBLE grows steadily louder. Hector hears

it first. He looks down the vast sloping field toward the

sea.

Now the other soldiers hear it, and then the citizens atop

the walls. All speech ceases. The Trojans quietly wait.

The rumbling resolves into the steady beat of WAR DRUMS.

84A EXT. BEACH - DUNES 84A

And now we see them, fifty thousand GREEKS. The

reflection of sunlight off fifty thousand bronze shields,

fifty thousand bronze helmets and chest plates, is

spectacular -- the army looks like a river of lava,

flowing uphill.

84B EXT. WALLS OF TROY 84B

The Trojan soldiers don't quiver or waver, but the

expressions on their faces betray their anxiety. The

Greek army is more than twice the size of the Trojan army.

79.

85 EXT. WALLS OF TROY - CONTINUOUS 85

The citizens shield their eyes from the brightness. They

exhibit their nervousness more openly than the soldiers.

One OLD WOMAN moans softly, her hand over her mouth.

86 EXT. BLUFF - DAY 86

Patroclus, Eudorus, and the rest of the Myrmidons climb to

the top of a tall bluff near the beach. From here they

can see the broad battlefield a mile away.

87 EXT. BATTLEFIELD - DAY 87

The Greek army halts just beyond arrow range. A

delegation of kings -- Agamemnon, Nestor, Menelaus,

Odysseus, and Ajax -- on CHARIOTS proceeds to the center

of the battlefield.

Odysseus looks over his shoulder and then yells to Ajax.

ODYSSEUS:

Where's Achilles?

Ajax looks around and shrugs.

87A EXT. BATTLEFIELD BETWEEN ARMIES 87A

Hector and Paris spur their horses and canter out to meet

the Greeks. The brothers speak without looking at each

other.

HECTOR:

Menelaus is a bull. He'll charge

you.

Paris nods.

HECTOR:

He's stronger than you, so try not

to fight him up close. Keep your

distance. Use your quickness.

Paris leans over and tries to spit, but his mouth is too

dry.

HECTOR:

Brother?

Paris, his face ashen, looks at Hector.

HECTOR:

You don't have to do this.

(CONTINUED)

80.

87A CONTINUED:
87A

Paris shakes his head and continues riding toward

Menelaus.

88 EXT. WALLS OF TROY - DAY 88

Helen, alone, views the battlefield. An old, spotted hand

takes her elbow. She turns and looks into Priam's eyes.

PRIAM:

Sit with me.

Helen follows the king to his grandstand and sits beside

him. She's aware of people staring at them but he seems

oblivious.

PRIAM:

All my life I've prayed against

this day.

HELEN:

Yes, my king.

PRIAM:

Call me father, dear child.

Startled by this affection, she hesitates before

responding.

HELEN:

Forgive me, father. For...

She pauses, staring out at the vast Greek army.

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